Dorrell Martin

Dorrell is founder of the jazz and contemporary dance program of LEON Dance Arts New York. The program is associated with LEON Contemporary Dance Company NY, of which Martin is the Artistic Director. A native of Houston, TX, he is the creator/former director of the Jazz and Contemporary Program at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City and also the former Artistic Director of Houston Metropolitan Dance Company.

Martin was a soloist for the national and international touring company “A Few Good Men Dancin” and has performed in shows such as Aida, West Side Story, Lion King, Swing. He can also be seen in the movies Enchanted and Center Stage. Martin has also performed with numerous professional companies, including Houston Metropolitan Dance Company, Arch Dance, Locke Contemporary Dance, Elliot Feld Ballet, Houston Grand Opera, Metropolitan Opera, Richard Rivera’s PHYSUAL, and Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular. He has performed in venues such as Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Joyce SoHo, Blaktino at BAAD in the Bronx, Riverside Theatre and American Dance Festival with some of New York’s emerging choreographers. Martin has appeared on the THE VIEW with Spice Girls’Emma Bunton. He has performed with recording artists such as Jennifer Lopez, Pink, Black Eyed Peas, Rihanna and Debra Cox.

For his choreography, Dorrell has received a prestigeous Honorable Mention for Choreography at the World Jazz Congress in Washington D.C. In 2003 he founded Dorrell Martin Dance Fusion in Houston, TX. The company made its international debut in Veracruz, Mexico, performing at the Festival Danza Cordoba. From The High School for the Performing Arts in Houston, Martin continued his training at the North Carolina School where he received his BFA in Dance Theatre. Additional study has included Paul Taylor School, Feld Ballet, The Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, EDGE Performing Arts Center in Los Angeles, New York State Summer Intensive with the New York City Ballet and with various schools and companies throughout Europe.

He has used his performance experience with artists/choreographers such as Sean Curran, Daniel Ezralow, Kevin Wynn, Liz Imperio, Pattie Obey, Margo Sappington and Mat Eks, to explore and find his own voice in movement. As a teacher, choreographer and director, Dorrell teaches throughout the country and has set works on numerous colleges, universities, and dance companies including Belhaven College, Hope College, Lamar University, Muhlenberg College, Harrison High School in Michigan, Urban Soul Dance Company, SET Contemporary dance, High School Performing and Visual Arts in Houston, TX, and Ballet Forté. Currently Martin is a part time faculty member at the St. John’s School in Houston, TX and continues to travel setting dance works and teaching.